The invention relates to air conditioners, and is particularly directed to an air conditioner and a method for making the same wherein the air conditioner is formed of modular units.
In the past, in the production of room air conditioners and the like, it has been conventional to perform the assembly of a large number of components individually on a common air conditioner assembly. Such assembly increased the cost and time for the production of completed air conditioner units.
The present invention is therefore directed to a method simplifying and rendering more economical the production of room air conditioners, and to an air conditioner produced by this method.
Briefly stated, in accordance with the invention, an air conditioner unit is fabricated of three primary modules, i.e., a refrigeration system module, an air system module, and a control system module.
The refrigeration system module is comprised of a refrigeration system with all of the refrigerant containing components of the air conditioner, including, for example, the interconnected compressor, evaporator, and condenser. These components are separately mounted on a base at the bottom of the module.
The air system module is designed to be mountable in a vertical direction onto the refrigeration system module as a unit. This air system module includes a first bulkhead adapted to be fitted between the evaporator and condenser, a motor mounted to the first bulkhead, a fan driven by the motor on the side of the first bulkhead toward the condenser, and a blower driven by the motor and arranged on the other side of the first bulkhead.
The control system module is also mountable in a vertical direction onto the refrigeration system module as a unit. This air system module includes a second bulkhead adjoining the first bulkhead, a control panel, and a control arrangement for controlling the motor.
By forming an air conditioner of three such modules, the assembly of the modules may be effected on separate assembly lines, with the separate modules being assembled only in the final assembly stages.
The invention further is directed to the position of an improved motor mounting for the motor to reduce noise thereof, as well as to an improved seal between the two bulkhead portions, rendering assembly thereof possible in a simple and economical manner.